Panetta: Trump Is Questioning the Patriotism of the Intel Community

Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said President Donald Trump’s lack of confidence in the intelligence community over leaks to the media was “the last thing they need,” which he said was to have a president questioning their “patriotism.”

Panetta said, “Obviously, it’s not a good situation because there is a lack of trust between the president and the intelligence community and between the intelligence community and the president. And, you know, every time he demeans the intelligence community or accuses it of leaks or accuses it of doing things that it’s not doing, that obviously impacts on the morale of that institution. Look, these are good people. They’re not Republicans or Democrats. They’re good patriots who are trying to do their job. It’s a tough job. They have to put their lives on the line in order to provide information to the president. The last thing they need is to have a president who questions their patriotism to this country and to him.”